Unfortunately for Yass, things quickly went downhill as they elected to bat first on a surface with which they were unfamiliar, and the home bowlers ran riot. 

Captain of the Yass team, Dave Field, did not say much following the match, except that he was disappointed with the performance of the team, which had looked to be improving after their last win against Cootamundra. 

“They got a couple of early wickets which put us on the back foot, and we didn’t recover really,” Field said. 

“They outplayed us really.” 

Secretary of the Young and Districts Cricket Association, Kelly Meddings, believes that the Yass team fell victim to a typically fast-bowler friendly wicket and may have underestimated the home side’s attack. 

“I think our bowling attack was just a lot stronger, and I think they [Yass] underestimated them too, a little bit,” Ms Meddings said. 

She explained that one of Young’s opening bowlers, Nic Hall, is only 16 years old, and the calibre of his bowling may have surprised Yass given his age. 

Hall ended up with four wickets for only 19 runs off his 10 overs, and he combined with spinner Jonte Powderly (who also took four wickets) to cripple the Yass innings. 

Yass managed a meagre 111 off 40 overs, but stepped onto the field with hope in their second innings. 

What made matters difficult for the visiting bowlers was the pitch, which flatten out and became more predictable as the match progressed. 

“I think the pitch got harder as the day went on, and because they were chasing a small total they just really went at us and got away with a bit early,” Field said. 

Yass managed to make some early inroads, removing Powderly and Young captain Sam Langford to reduce the home side to 2-31. 

Following those two breakthroughs, Scott Neville and Duncan Cameron combined for a 41 run third wicket stand, which stabilised the innings and removed any doubt from the result, even when Neville fell for 19. 

Cameron finished on 47 not out, having coolly guided the team home in Bevan-esque style, with 30 overs remaining. 

The loss for Yass makes the rest of the Stribley season a very difficult proposition. 

“It’s gonna be really tough to make the final,” Field said. 

“We have to win [all of] the remaining games and then rely on other results too.”

The Yass captain’s summary of what needs to happen over the Christmas break left little to the imagination. 

“We need to improve,” Field said.